The winner of the best short film at the Pan African Film festival has been
awarded to Sechaba Morojele for Ubuntu's Wounds, one of the funded projects
of The National Film & Video Foundation (NFVF).
Morojele was already well known in the South African film industry as an
actor and writer (Tsaba Tsaba in Going Up and Mr. Mahlatsi in Yizo Yizo and
wrote scripts for Kelebone, Soul City, Generations and Isidingo) when he
decided to enrol for a two-year degree in directing at the American Film
Institute (AFI)
In his first year he made five films and submitted the first draft of
Ubuntu's Wounds, a film that tells the story of one man's disappointment
with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Ubuntu's Wounds won the prestigious Martin Ritt award, an award for the top
script.
"That was a start, but as the AFI students are expected to finance their
own films," says Morojele. "We wanted to shoot on 35mm, so we had to
continue raising money".
NFVF, which was already funding Morojele’s studies, came to the rescue in
the last funding cycle. "We believed the project had merit, in that it
offered a fresh approach to a South African theme, and we had confidence it
would have international appeal," says NFVF CEO Eddie Mbalo.
Mbalo's confidence was rewarded as further funding awards followed, and the
best short film at the Pan African festival, and accolades at CineQuest in
San Jose and Harvey Mudd College.
"But the most important thing is Story,” says Morojele. “You can have the
most exotic cultural backdrop or the most dazzling camera shots, but without
a compelling story no one will care for your film. That's what was drummed
into us consistently over the two years at AFI. Story, story, story. The
script for Ubuntu's Wounds went through many rewrites. Like all the other
thesis films it was rigorously criticised in class and had to go through an
extensive Teacher-student developmental phase before it was allowed to start
pre-production."
He is currently working on a South African film about corporate South Africa
as well as two other films that are based in the USA. “Hollywood has taught
me a lot and has shown me the ugly and difficult side of this business, he
concludes. “It's all about perseverance. We were told that only 5% of the
directors in my class will still be directing films in five years time - I
just hope I am one of them.”

Contact: Howard Thomas, email: [email protected]
NF154/Prod/Msc